Machine for making piping, welting, finishing strips or the like



Dec. 1, 1936. w ROCKWOOD 2,062,729

MACHINE FOR MAKING PIPING, WELTING, FINISHING STRIPS OR THE LIKE Filed May 14, 1955 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v agar-22g A. w. ROCKWOOD 2,062,729 MAKING PIPING, WELTING, FIN ISHING STRIPS OR THE LIKE Dec. 1, 1936.

MACHINE FOR Filed May 14, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor ,4, Maul,

Dec. 1, 1936. w RQCKWQOD 2,062,729

MACHINE FOR MAKING PIPING, WELTING, FINISHING STRIPS OR THE LIKE Filed May 14, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 VII/l/l/l/l/l/l/l/A 172m: rrtor I A. n/wo W 49 1 4" I A-4404. M b3 a f'orflea Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT orFicE A. Waldo Rockwood, Winchester, Mass. Application May 14, 1935, Serial No. 21,419

3 Claims.

My present invention is a novel and improved machine for use in the manufacture of ornamental finishing strips, piping, welting or the like, and includes a novel method of manufacturing same.

Heretofore in the making of such articles it has been extremely diificult to manufacture and. ornament such devices, particularly where contrasting colored strips are used and where composite material including fabric covered by celluloid, Bakelite, lacquer, or similar finishing material is utilized. A similar difliculty arises where leather, particularly patent leather, is employed because of the difficulty in handling the base or body portion of the strip or article to be manufactured and ornamented into a finishing strip for use in welting, piping, or other ornamentation on boots and shoes, clothing, upholstery, and the like.

These finishing strips are frequently made of extremely narrow material and are necessarily manufactured at high speed in order to save expense.

My present invention aims to simplify the difficulties heretofore experienced, and to provide a simple, efficient, and easily operated apparatus and by a novel process.

In carrying out my invention, I provide means which will feed a strip of the base material through the machine and simultaneously apply to the base material an ornamental strip, or stripping, of narrower substance and, preferably, of contrasting color; conduct the narrow and ornamental portion through a mass of liquid adhesives, which is preferably colorless or which may be colored to accentuate the showing of the contrasting ornamental strip; force this. adhesive under positive power-driven means so as to maintain a uniform pressure and action, thereby combining the two strips.

Thereupon, I dry the thus-combined members while the adhesive sets and solidifies and becomes sufficiently dry and hard to enable the finished ornamental strip to be wound upon a reel and shipped for use.

I find that it is desirable and important in carrying out the present process, and accordingly I have developed my machine therefor, to utilize a positive feeding means, such for example, as a gear pump which regulates the flow of the liquid adhesive and supplies a substantially uniform and predetermined pressure on the liquid while it is applied to the narrower ornamental strip, as

well as while the narrower strip is being applied to the base strip. This method gives positive control, feeding just the right amount of the liquid by regulating the speed of rotation of the gear pump, or its equivalent, and furthermore keeps the liquid in the proper consistency during use.

A further advantage of the positive feeding means, such as the gear pump above referred to, enables me to manufacture the ornamental stripping at great speed and with considerable economy, eliminating all necessity of handling, trans ferring, or the like.

Furthermore, by having a two-part die through which the narrow ornamental strip is drawn to pick up the adhesive supplied thereto under pressure, I can substitute numerous die portions when changing widths, styles, or the like bysimply removing the lower portion of the die and substituting a different one. This also enables me to use the same machine for making narrow, single ornamental strips as, well as to apply a plurality of narrow strips on the same base, adjusting also the guides for the material being fed both for the base material and for the narrower ornamental strips, or a plurality of the same.

Further novel features, combinations, and advantages will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating my apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the drying reel, partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View partly in vertical cross-section;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view partly in cross-section showing the adjustable guides;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed View illustratin the guide adjustment;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view on the line 'i! of Fig, 3;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view showing the machine from the right of Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 9 illustrates in fragmentary form the die construction where a single strip, is formed simultaneously; 1

Fig. 10 is a corresponding fragmentary view illustrating the forming of a plurality of ornamentations;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the ornamental stripping on a single strip, and

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary View in perspective of a base with a plurality of ornamental strips applied thereto by my process and with this machine.

Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment, I designates a suitable support having journaled bearings for a shaft 2 on which is secured a rotary work wheel 3, said shaft being rotated by a pulley 4 to which is led a belt 5 from any suitable source of power. The top of the standard I carries a head l8 provided with suitable bearings for the axle I2, provided one end with a pulley I4 and on the opposite end with a gear I5, which is adapted to mesh with a corresponding idle gear I6 and constitutes the power-forcing means or pump. Rotation of the pulley I l through a belt I8 leading around a pulley I9, secured to the shaft 2, imparts rotary action to the gear pump compzised of the members I2 and I6, at the top of the head. The head It extends upwardly into an open receptacle 2B in which the adhesive material is supplied and, preferably by inverting a container 2I with the pump portion open and resting on an annular gasket or rubber packing 22. If desired, the inner surface of the top 26 may be threaded to fit the correspondingly threaded exterior of the neck of the container 2| as shown at 23, thus constituting a supply tank for the liquid coating and the adhesive 25.

Extending from the receptacle 20 is a bored passage 26 shown best in dotted lines, Fig. 3, which passage leads to an opening in which the teeth of the gears I2 and I6 mesh, as indicated at 28, and a corresponding delivery passage 29 leads from the opposite portion of the gears I2 and I6, which are rotated in the direction of the arrows into a coating chamber 30 formed in the extension 3! of the head I!) and overhanging the surface of the wheel 3. A removable plate 33 covers the gear wheels I2 and I6 and permits ready removal or access thereto for cleaning or inspection. The member 3I is preferably permanently secured to or is a part of the head ID, as above noted, and has a removable lower portion constituting the changeable die member 35. This interchangeable die member 35 can be attached to the fixed portion 3| by bolts 35, or the like, and has contained therein a lower portion 38, which, combined with the liquid-receiving chamber 30, constitutes a complete liquid receptacle.

My present process contemplates the drawing through this liquid receptacle of the thin or narrow ornamental strip 20 which is coated and entirely surrounded by the liquid adhesive forced from the gear pump through the channel 25 into the chamber 38, the narrower finishing strip 49 being fed therethrough and in contact with the base strip 5!! which is to be ornamented and which is fed through on top of the wheel 3.

For this purpose I may form a groove or channel through the upper part 3| of the removable die portion 35, or form such groove as a part of each of the contacting surfaces of the removable die portion and the fixed part 3I.

Preferably, however, I use the surface of the fixed die (H as one wall of the groove through which the ornamental strip All is drawn and form one or more grooves in the removable die portion 35 through which the finishing strip or strips 40 may be drawn, see Figs. 7, 9, and 10. Preferably, also, this groove for the strip 49 is formed at an appropriate angle so that the ornamental strip 40 may be drawn from a reel 4|, held in a bracket 52 in convenient position, and led through friction rolls 43 (see Fig. 1).

Similarly, the base material 50 is led from a reel 5I on a bracket 52 and around friction rolls 53. Thus, I provide a groove 44 at the entrance end for the ornamental strip 40, a corresponding delivery groove 45 at the opposite portion, the strip 49 feeding therethrough and through the liquid in the chamber 30 and out of the delivery opening 25 on to the surface of the base strip 50, Where it is pressed firmly thereon by a rearwardly extending portion 48 of the fixed die 3 I, thus being forced into intimate contact with the base 551 and being surrounded by liquid adhesive illustrated in over-drawn size at 49, Fig. 11.

In order to conserve the liquid contained within the diameter 32 and prevent the pressure of the gear pumps I 2 and I5 forcing the liquid outwardly through the channel 62, I provide a springpressed gate gauge 55 which is moved downwardly on the ornamental strip All by the tension of the spring 56 surrounding one or more movable guide pins 5'! extending through a boss 58 on the fixed die 3 I. A by-pass 60 leading from the chamber 30 to the upper bored passage 26 is also provided so that in case the pressure afforded by the gears I2 and I6 forces an excess of liquid into the chamber 30, it may be returned without difliculty or damage.

It is important to provide guiding means both for the base strip 50 and the ornamental strip 40. The guide gauge 55 and groove 44 will ordinarily be sufficient to act as guiding means for the narrow strip 40 and, therefore, I have only provided adjustable guides for the base strip 58 to feed the same in proper alignment under the die 35 so that the ornamental strip 46 will be positioned thereto in proper relationship either centrally or otherwise. When a plurality of strips are fed through, the guiding of the base strip 58 is all that is essential so that it is adjustable relatively with the delivery recess, or recesses, 45 in the die through which the ornamental strip or strips 40 are conducted.

For this purpose I form an extension ID on the head If) at the right, viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, and form a tapped recess therein to receive the pivotal guide rod 'II which is fixed thereto and also an open recess to receive one end of a threaded adjusting screw 12, on which are fixed collars 'I3'I3. Depending from the guide rod II is a slide I4 having a pair of framelike members I5'I5 perforated with slightly larger holes than that of the diameter of the guide rod II so that the frame will slide thereover. Depending from the frame I4 are extensions 'I6-'I6 carrying a shaft I! between one of which are adjustably secured two guiding gauges I8'I8 which may be moved and secured in any relative spacing position desired by loosening and tightening set screws 'I9'I9, these gauges I8 being preferably rings encircling the shaft TI.

The adjusting screw I2 has a knurled thumb nut ill] on the outer end and is provided with threaded engagement through the frame I4 so that manipulation of the thumb nut will slide the entire frame and adjusted gauges 18-78 in any relative position desired across the face of the work wheel 3, thereby conducting the base strip 50 in desired alignment so that it will register with the ornamental strip 40 when the same is applied thereto and united by the pressure of the extension 28 on the die 3|.

While this guiding means for the base 50 in advance of the action of the die is ordinarily sufficient to align the two strips 40 and 58, yet it may be desirable to provide a further guiding means for the strip 59 closely adjacent the point of contact of the two strips 40 and 50. For this purpose I may provide independently adjustable guides as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. These comprise right and left sliding plates 84 and adapted to fit under the die 3|, and, if desired, in a groove formed therein closely adjacent the point where the strips 40 and 50 are brought in contact on top of the work wheel 3. These slides are independently adjustable toward and from the center and of an equal thickness to that of the strip 50, this adjustment comprising a pair of knurled thumb screws 86 and Bl secured to shafts passing through bored recess in an upstanding part 88 of the slide 84, and 89 of the slide 85, the shafts of each of the adjusting screws 86 and 8? being provided with collars 909il, respectively, fitting each side of the upstanding lugs 89 and 89 and having the shank portions threaded into tapped recesses in the die 3!, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

If desired, also, I may provide a guide in the form of studs ill-SH secured to the upstanding portions 88 and 89 and sliding in recesses 92-92 in the die 39! spaced slightly from the adjusting screws to provide a guide or supporting bearing for the guide plates so that they may be adjusted toward and from each other from time to time as desired during the actual feeding of the strips through the machine to secure the correct alignment.

In Fig. 10, I have illustrated aremovable die portion 95 corresponding with the removable portion 35 above described, which has a plurality of recesses 99-9fi to receive a plurality of strips 98-98 when it is desired to utilize a plurality of such ornamental strips on a single base part H39, see Fig. 12. In this form, a plurality of strips 98 are fed through the liquid-receiving or coating chamber 39, and all the strips are simultaneously pressed upon the base 199 being surrounded by the coating adhesive 49. With the strips 49 and 5B united, or the plurality 98 and Hill pressed together by the action of the die and carried onwardly by the work wheel 3 to the left, viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, the combined material designated in Figs. 1 and 2 as [BI is led around the work wheel 3 and to and around a drying reel, as shown inFigs. l and 2. As many turns as may be desired to thoroughly dry the coating material d9 is made so that the drying is insured before the same is led therefrom to be wound on a spool, or the like. This reel comprises a pair of open framework cylinders 13 and i0 3 mounted on suitable axles Hi5 and Hit respectively, provided with pulleys ill and H38, respectively, united by a belt HO which, in turn, receives rotation in timed relation with the feed action by a belt H2 connecting the reel ms with the properly proportioned pulley lid on the shaft 2.

A combined ornamented strip may be led into a receptacle H5 or wound directly upon a spool for shipment, as desired.

The entire operation is automatic, and once the adjustments are set for the desired alignment of the ornamental strip li? and the base 59, or a plurality of ornamentations 93 on the base strip IE9, the machine operates continuously and automatically, requiring only replacement of the supply reels ll and 5! and the liquid container 2i.

While I have shown, and prefer to utilize, a positive liquid-forcing means such as the gear pump l2 and i6, I may utilize a substantial height or head for the liquid solution 25 but as this might vary considerably whereas the gear pump is positive, readily adjusted and controlled, imparting uniform pressure to force the liquid solution into and onto the stripping for the ornamentation and uniting thereof, I much prefer the gear pump construction. The most important feature is the positive forcing of this liquid adhesive and solution, enabling me to utilize any liquid or plastic solution with a wide range of consistency, i. e. extremely liquid, as mobile as water, or merely plastic of the consistency of cold molasses, thus giving me a wide range of material for thev adhesive solution 25.

Furthermore, this solution may be either colorless or may be tinted or shaded, or otherwise colored, to aid in the ornamentation desired on the completed finishing strip lill. This also enables me to utilize a wide range of designs as Well as ornamentations and material, permitting me to follow and initiate the rapidly changing styles and demands on finishing, piping, and welting strips of this kind.

I can readily change the solution'by the mere shifting of the container 2| when it is desired to employ the leather base 50, for example, if a different solution is desired on the same, some leathers being extremely greasyand repellant to an adhesive which would be entirely satisfactory on a strip built up of textile material and Pyroxylin, as is ordinarily employed for the base strips 50 and lllll.

If desired, also, I may utilize a plastic which requires some degree of heat to rend-er it suitable for application, the gear pump affording ample, positive, and power application to force the same into the die and onto the stripping material.

As shown in Fig. 3, I have provided a valve I20 on the by-pass in order to regulate and control the pressure built up by the gear pump. This also is useful where the plastic material utilized may vary in consistency.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the kind described adapted to simultaneously feed material to be ornamented and the ornamentation therefor and apply the ornamentation thereto, comprising a movable work-wheel, a fixed die containing adhesive solution under pressure, and means to guide'the ornamenting material through said die and means to apply the same to the material to be ornamented, in combination with adjustable guiding means to effect alignment between the material being ornamented and the ornamentation applied thereto.

2. Apparatus of the kind described adapted to 9 simultaneously feed material to be ornamented and the ornamentation therefor and apply the ornamentation thereto, comprising a movable work-wheel, a fixed die containing adhesive solution under pressure, and means: to guide the ornamenting material through said die and means to apply the same to the material to be ornamented, in combination with a yielding gate guiding the material to the die and preventing waste of adhesive under pressure. 

